Kite pivot controller



1969 B. D. MAY ETAL 3,421,722

KITE PIVOT CONTROLLER Fild April 13, 1967 F G 6 INVENTOR 5:.

JAMES L. WlLLlAMS BOB D. MAY

By a

ATTORNEY-5'.

United States Patent Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A control device secured to the frame of a kite and used in conjunction with a two-line control from the ground which permits the kite to maneuver. An elongated control rod having a guide loop at its free end is pivotally mounted on the kite frame and the control lines pass through the loop and are secured to spaced extremities of the kite.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in flying kite constructions. More particularly, the invention relates to a pivot control device adapted to be attached to a conventional kite which permits greater control and maneuvering of the kite from the ground.

Although the history of the kite goes back several hundred years beginning with Asiatic people and the Chinese, the developments in the kite art in recent years have been few. Most of the recent work in the kite art has been directed to the configuration of the kites themselves rather than improved means for controlling the kite from the ground. The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved control means to facilitate maneuvering of :a conventional kite.

It is a further object of the present invention to eliminate the use of conventional bridle strings in kite construction.

A further object of this invention is to provide a pivoting controller to maintain a conventional kite at a given pitch by the use of leverage.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a pivoting controller which may be readily attached to a kite with little modification to the kite structure and which will allow the fiyer to maintain close and continuous control over the flight of the kite.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a pivoting kite controller, bearing the above objects in mind, which is of durable construction, may be readily manufactured by mass production techniques and is at all times etficient, safe, and durable in use, and is relatively inexpensive to produce.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a kite and ground control stick incorporating the pivoting controller of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective of the crossed portion of the kite frame sticks showing the pivoting controller and its attaching means;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view through the vertical kite stick taken along the line 3-3 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a Malay or bow kite showing the pivoting controller attached thereto along with the ground stick and indicating in dotted lines various control positions;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of a hand control stick; and

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIGURE 5.

3,421,722 Patented Jan. 14, 1969 Reference is now made more specifically to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate similar parts throughout the several views and wherein a kite to which the present invention is adapted to be attached is shown generally at 10.

For the sake of simplicity, the present invention is described in conjunction with a tailless two-sticker kite commonly known as the Malay, bow, or Eddy kite. It will, of course, be obvious that the present invention may be used with box kites, tetrahedral kites, or combination kites of various types.

The kite 10 comprises a pair of stringers or sticks 11 and 12 which may be of equal length or if preferred, the vertical stick 12 may be slightly longer than the horizontal stick 11. The sticks intersect at a point centrally of the horizontal stick 11, but to the top of center of the vertical stick 12. The two sticks may be fastened in this position securely by means of a tie string 13. It is also conventional to attach the two sticks together by a staple or by an elastic band.

The body covering of the kite, formed of paper, plastic, foil, or other material, shown at 14, may be attached to the corners of the sticks 11 and 12 by means of strings or adhesive if desired. Preferably, the kite body 14 is attached only at these points and is not attached to the vertical stick 12 except at its ends.

In the kite shown in the drawings, the horizontal stick 11 is bowed outwardly and held securely in this position by means of a bow string 15 secured at its ends to the extremities of the horizontal stick 11.

The pivoting controller forming the basis of the present invention is shown best in FIGURE 2 and includes a pivoting control arm 16 which is preferably formed of circular cross section wire and which has formed integrally at one end thereof a loop or ring 17. The opposite end of the control arm 16 is bent upwardly at a right angle as shown at 18 and terminates in a crimp 19 for a purpose more clearly understood later herein.

The control arm may be passed through the surface of the kite covering material 14 by pushing a small hole therein with the tip of the crimped portion 19 and thereafter passing the controller therethrough until the vertical portion above the bend 18 is parallel to the vertical stick 12. The controller is pivotally secured to the vertical stick 12 by means of the controller base 20. This base is preferably formed from sheet metal material and is provided with a semicircular channel 21 running vertically. With the vertical portion of the control arm placed against the vertical stick 12, the controller base 20 may be placed thereover with the crimp portion 19 extending above the top of the base so as to form a stop and to prevent removal. The controller base is then secured to the vertical stick 12 by means of an adhesive tape 22 which may be wrapped around both the controller base and the stick 12 as shown in FIGURE 3. When so secured, the controller rod may freely pivot within certain limits as seen in the dotted lines of FIGURE 4.

With the present invention no bridle string is used, however, a double or dual control line system is incorporated and as shown in FIGURES 1 and 4 includes a left and right control line 23 and 24 respectively. Each of these lines terminate at their ends in a knot or loop which is affixed to the companion end of the horizontal stick 11. The lines pass through the ring 17 of the control arm and extend downwardly to the ground where they pass into opposite ends of the control stick shown generally at 30'.

The control stick 30 may take any of several forms, but is generally of the type shown in the patent to Carnwath, No. 2,494,430, issued Jan. 10, 1950. As shown in FIG- URES 5 and 6, the control stick includes a base platform 31 centrally recessed as at 32 for rotatable support and mounting of a horizontally disposed spool or drum reel 33 provided with flanges. The reel is pivotally mounted by means of a central pivot screw 34 and a flat support washer 35.

A hand control knob 36 is secured near the peripheral edge of the reel 33 by means of a pivot screw 37. Guide channels 38 and 39 are provided on the right and left ends of the base platform 31 for the purpose of guiding the lines 23 and 24. Handle members 40 and 41 extend outwardly from either end of the base platform and are provided at their ends with guide eyelets 42 to insure smooth passage of the control lines 23 and 24. As can be seen from FIGURE 5, only a single line is provided wound about the spool 33, however, this line in eifect, forms two control lines 23 and 24, each of which is attached to the opposite end of the horizontal control stick 11. It will be obvious that cranking the knob 36 in a counterclockwise direction will result in the shortening of the control lines 23 and 24, thereby bringing the kite in toward the ground or descending. In a similar manner winding of the control knob 36 in a clockwise direction will spool out control lines 23 and 24 thereby allowing the kite to climb. Slight braking action is maintained by the washer 35 and the pivot pin 34. Tightening of the pivot pin 34- will increase the braking action due to the friction of the washer disc. During upward movement of the kite, the user whose hands are normally on the handle members 40 and 41 may apply his thumb to the periphery of the reel flange also serving as a braking device.

The kite is controlled in regard to its angle of attack and in its maneuvering by simply pivoting the control stick 30 with the wrist as shown in FIGURE 4. If the control stick is moved from its full line position to the dotted line position of FIGURE 4, a right loop will develop. In a similar manner, it the control stick were moved in the opposite direction a left loop would take place. Shifting of the control stick will cause the pivoting controller to shift about its pivot axis which, in effect, changes the resultant holding position of the lines 23 and 24 to the kite and makes the kite respond respectively. In effect, the two control lines therefore act as a single line with their point of reaction at the position of the loop of the control rod.

The oil center distance from the loop 17 to the ends of the horizontal stick 11 determines whether a quick or gradual maneuver will be initiated.

With this invention many types of maneuvers, heretofore not possible with conventional kites may be performed.

What We claim as our invention and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In combination with a kite having a pair of control lines connected at spaced points to the kite and extending to a control device on the ground adapted to be held by the kite flyer, the improvement comprising a pivot control device mounted on the kite, said control device including an elongated control arm extending from said kite, said control arm being pivotally mounted at one end to the frame of said kite medially between said spaced points so as to be free to swing in the direction of either of said points, a guide loop on the free end of said control arm, said control lines passing through said guide loop and being adapted to pivot said control arm toward either of said spaced points upon movement of the control device on the ground.

2. A pivot control device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said one end of said control arm is bent upwardly to define a pivot axis and a controller base for securing said upwardly bent portion to said kite frame.

3. A pivot control device as defined in claim 2 wherein a crimp is formed adjacent the tip of said upwardly bent portion to retain the same in said controller base.

4. A pivot control device as defined in claim 1 wherein said control arm and guide loop are formed of circular cross section wire stock.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,839,259 6/1958 Mayne 244l 3,193,224 7/1965 Williamson 244-153 3,317,165 5/1967 Zobl 244l55 MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

P. E. SAUBER'ER, Assistant Examiner. 

